Microwave plasma processor

Abstract

A microwave plasma processor comprising a vacuum chamber with a gas introduction inlet, an exhaust port, a sample table for loading thereon a sample, a plurality of microwave radiation antennas, and a corresponding plurality of microwave energy introduction inlets thereby enabling a large area substrate to be uniformly plasma-processed at high speed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A microwave plasma processor comprising: a chamber, including a first chamber for a sample, and a plurality of second chambers for generating plasma;   a plurality of microwave radiation antennas outside said second chambers; and   a plurality of microwave introduction inlets from which microwave energy is introduced into said chamber through said microwave radiation antennas,   said first chamber including a gas introduction inlet, an exhaust port, and a sample table for loading thereon a sample, and said second chambers composed of a dielectric material;   and wherein said plurality of microwave energy introduction inlets corresponds in number to said microwave radiation antennas.   
     
     
       2. A microwave plasma processor according to claim 1, wherein each of said microwave radiation antennas is composed of a helical coil. 
     
     
       3. A microwave plasma processor according to claim 1, wherein each of said microwave radiation antennas is composed of a uniform diameter helical coil. 
     
     
       4. A microwave plasma processor according to claim 1, wherein the microwave introduction inlets are waveguides for introducing the microwave energy therethrough into said chamber. 
     
     
       5. A microwave plasma processor according to claim 1, wherein the microwave introduction inlets are coaxial cables for introducing the microwave energy therethrough into said chamber. 
     
     
       6. A microwave plasma processor, comprising: a chamber in which plasma is formed, said chamber comprising a main chamber and a plurality of subchambers which protrude from the main chamber; and   antenna means for introducing electromagnetic energy into said chamber, said antenna means comprising a number of antennas corresponding to the plurality of subchambers, each antenna being located outside of said chamber and adjacent to one of said subchambers.   
     
     
       7. A microwave plasma processor, comprising: a chamber in which plasma is formed, said chamber comprising a main portion and a plurality of subchambers which protrude from the main chamber, each of the subchambers being equally spaced about the main chamber; and   antenna means for introducing electromagnetic energy into said chamber, said antenna means comprising a number of antenna corresponding to the plurality of subchambers, each antenna being located outside of said chamber and adjacent to one of said subchambers.